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Even for a consultant it's possible. Since moving to Spain and
consulting *strictly* via telecommute, I have found that I get more work
programming the FrameMaker API than I get writing (thanks to the recent
bust... I don't think this implies I'm a crappy writer!). I know this
is a very specialized area, but it's that specialiazation that (for now
at least) has kept me going. But the point is, I'm writing lots of code
for hire. And from time to time I get to deliver projects that other
people have tried and failed to complete.
From these few years I've spent on this particular API, I suspect I
could search for and even find a developer position on a product team.
But I would expect to start in a junior level position (unless
FrameMaker API was in the job title). There's much more to being a
developer than writing nifty code. Integrating your code in a larger
project; picking up somebody else's code and making it work, making it
better, adding new features; articulating your code design; managing
your work within a source-control environment; optimizing use of system
resources; reviewing other people's code and submitting your own for
review...
If you have a CS degree you usually have at least laboratory experience
in these things. If you don't have the experience, you run the risk of
being labeled a mere hacker, and not a *real* programmer. (Is that a
Sears programmer, or a real programmer?) And with good reason. Nothing
can botch up a team more than a cowboy who adds in sloppy code. But
coming in at a junior level, I suspect you would see an appropriate
amount of "mentoring" (although I hate to use that word as a verb).
Also, the route another poster mentioned - Tech Writer to Q/A engineer
to Developer - is not at all uncommon. The key here is to find a
company that is open to this kind of movement within the ranks. Your
Q/A experience will expoes you to the source-control, code review
issues. It will also give you product knowledge that is quite valuable
to the programming team. You usually have to show that you have taken
some programming courses, or otherwise demonstrate your ability to write
code.
Good luck... cud
--
Chris Despopoulos, maker of CudSpan Freeware...
Plugins to Enhance FrameMaker & FrameMaker+SGML http://www.telecable.es/personales/cud/
cud -at- telecable -dot- es
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